Target and magnetically releasable projectile

ABSTRACT

D R A W I N G A GAME COMPRISING A PLAYING BOARD HAVING RECPECTACLES THEREON. A PLAYING ELEMENT IS RELEASABLY MAGNETICALLY HELD SUSPENDED ABOVE THE BOARD BY A VERTICAL ROD AND TETHER WHICH ALLOWS THE PLAYING ELEMENT TO BE FREELY SWUNG OVER THE PLAYING SURFACE. THE VERTICAL ROD MAY BE RAPIDLY MOVED UPWARDLY FOR SELECTIVELY RELEASING THE PLAYING ELEMENT AS IT SWINGS OVER THE BOARD SO AS TO DROP IT ONTO THE PLAYING SURFACE IN AN ATTEMPT TO PLACE IT IN ONE OF THE RECEPTACLES.

March 20, 1973 A. E. GOLDFARB ETAL 3,721,442

TARGET AND MAGNETICALLY RELEASABLE PROJECTILE Filed Feb. 24, 1971' 2 Sheets-Sheetl FIG. I

INVENTORS ADOLPH E. GOLDFARB GEORGE C. STRADER ROBERT M. ASHEN ATTORNEY I Marc h 20,1973 A.:E. GOLDFARB ETAL 3,721,442 v TARGET AND MAGNETICALLY RELEASABLE P ROJECTILE Filed Feb. 24; 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTORS ADGJH E. GQDFARB GEORGE C. STRADER RERT M ASHEN ATTORNEY US. Cl. 273-101 United States Patent 3,721,442 TARGET AND MAGNETICALLY RELEASABLE PROJECTILE Adolph E. Goldfarb, 4614 Monarca Drive, Tarzana, Calif.

91356, and George C. Strader, San Dimas, Calif; said Strader assignor to said Goldfarb Filed Feb. 24, 1971, Ser. No. 118,389 Km. Cl. A63b 71/02 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There have been many games which involve attempting to place a ball in a receptacle or strike a target on a playing surface. This is normally accomplished by propelling a ball from a point on a playing surface so that it has an opportunity to rebound on the surface to land in a receptacle or strike a target. Typical of such a type of game is the pin ball machine. Further, games have been devised where the ball is merely propelled by hand onto a playing surface in an attempt to achieve the same results that a pin ball machine achieves by a mechanical propelling actuator. Other games have involved an attempt of a player to pitch a ball onto a playing surface in attempt to cause it to land in a receptacle therein. In all of these past games, however, there is difficulty often in aiming the ball and results are more often achieved by chance, particularly where a mechanical actuator is utilized. Further, the games can usually be played by one player at a time, and thus, they are not readily susceptible to play by two or more players in a competing fashion, one player against the other, where both are involved simultaneously. Additionally, the games where the pin ball concept is utilized lack a degree of skill since the ball is always propelled, as indicated, from the same spot, thus introducing no variable to that aspect of the play of the game. This also makes such games tedious and at times boring.

The game of the herein invention improves significantly over the above described prior art type games. This game has a playing surface with receptacles formed thereon, which in a preferred embodiment can be representative of outs, base hits or the like in a baseball game. In the illustrated embodiment, extending upwardly from the playing surface is a vertical support rod, terminating in an afiixed arm that extends over the playing surface. Depending downwardly from the arm is a flexible line terminating in a magnet of sufiicient strength to hold a metal ball. The illustrated playing surface may additionally have a baseball diamond depicted thereon, with the support rod being positioned near home plate. Indicia means may further be provided on the board to indicate several positions spaced around the outfield on the board from which the pitching may transpire. In playing the game, one player, the pitcher, takes the ball attached to the magnet and holds it above the selected pitching position on the board. He then releases the ball which will tend to first swing back toward the support rod and home plate, and then swing out over the baseball field. The support rod is supported in a manner permitting an increment of upward vertical movement and an actuator is operable by the second player, the batter, to cause the rod to move rapidly upward.

This upward movement serves to disengage the magnet from the ball. In other words, the upward movement is of sufiicient force to overcome the magnetic force between the magnet and the ball and the ball will then drop. The object of the game is for the batter to operate the actuator to cause the ball to drop into a desired receptacle as it moves over the baseball field. It is believed that the invention will be further understood from the following detailed description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the playing board of a preferred form of the game of the invention together with a spinner and a striking member for use with the board.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the playing board of FIG. 1 with the ball in play.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are pictorial enlarged cross sectional views taken along lines 3-3 and 44 respectively of FIG. 2.

Turning to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is seen a preferred playing board 11 of the invention. This playing board is particularly adapted for playing baseball, although as will be indicated, the concept of the herein game can be utilized for other types of games as well as playing surfaces. The playing board shown has a generally fiat upper surface 13. At one forward end 15 there are three holes 17 for receiving pegs (not shown) marking the outs in the game. Additionally, at end 15, there is provided a scorekeeping line 19 for each player to record the number of runs which he produces per inning. Also at this end of the board there is an exposed portion 21 of an actuator which can be in the shape and configuration of a decorative baseball. Adjacent the forward end 15 of the board it is in the form of a baseball diamond 23 having peg receptacles 25, 27 and 29 at first, second and third base, respectively. Pegs 31 or other playing pieces can be utilized in playing the game to represent runners on the bases. The entire 'board is surrounded by an upwardly extending outer wall 33 which will retain a ball or other playing element. The remaining surface of the board is provided with spaced apart receptacles. The center of the board is filled with V shaped retaining receptacles 35 having an indicia in the center of the V indicating the type of hit or play made. Three circular receptacles 37 are provided adjacent the outer periphery 39 of the rear end of the board for home runs. Spaced around the outer periphery 39 are pitching indicia 41 on the playing surface having the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively. These numbers are used in conjunction with a spinner 43 having the same indicia thereon, in a manner to be explained. To the side of the home plate area 45 on the playing surface, there is disposed an upright sleeve 47 as particularly seen in FIG. 2. The sleeve 47 communicates with an aperture 49 provided in the playing surface. The lower end 50 of a vertical support rod 51 is seated in the sleeve 47. An enlarged diameter annular portion 53 of the rod limits its downward movement. At the upper end 55 of the rod and perpendicular thereto is afiixed an arm 57 which extends from the top of the rod to a position spaced above the home plate area 45 on the board. The sleeve 47 and a downwardly depending sleeve portion 59 on the arm 57 have three equidistantly spaced internal lobes 61 and 63 respectively as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. These lobes 61 and 63 engage corresponding slots 65 and 67 formed adjacent the ends of the support rod 51. The purpose of the lobes and slots is to prevent rotation of the support rod during playing of the game. It is important that the rod (and the arm) be rotationally stable as will be further appreciated. Depending downwardly from the outer end 69 of arm 57 is a flexible line 71. Affixed to the lower end 73 of the line 71 is a permanent magnet 75. A separate metal ball 77 is releasably held by the magnet 75. The magnet, which may preferably be ring-shaped to receive a portion 78 of the ball, can be partially enclosed by a housing 8 0 to which the line 71 is affixed. It is important that the relationship of the ball and magnet be such that magnet will normally hold the metal ball when they are in a static position and also when they are swung. As seen in FIG. 2 the lower end 50 of the support rod 51 extends below the playing board where it rests upon and engages an end 31 of an actuator 83. The actuator 83 is a lever arm pivotally mounted at 85 on a bracket portion 86 which extends downwardly from the under surface of the playing board. The actuator 83 is normally positioned as shown in FIG. 2 with the weight of the support rod 5.1 maintaining the end 81 of the actuator depressed so that the exposed portion 21 of the actuator is above the board. Depression of portion 21 will cause end 81 in contact with the lower end 50 of the support rod to move upwardly. Thus, a sharp tap on the actuator portion 21 will cause the support rod to jump upwardly. This rapid movement is transmitted through the arm 57, the line 71 and the magnet 75 and is sufiicient to overcome the attractive force between the magnet 75 and ball 77, causing the ball to be released from the magnet. If desired, a striking member such as the toy baseball bat 87 shown in FIG. 1 may be further provided with the game to strike the portion 21 of the actuator. The same, however, can be accom lished by merely tapping the actuator portion 21 with the band. Not a large amount of force is needed nor should preferably be required to achieve release of the ball.

To play the game, one player starts out as pitcher and the other player starts out as batter. The pitcher spins the spinner 84 on the indicator 43. A number of 1 to 4 will be indicated when the spinner stops. The pitcher then takes the ball while attached to the magnet and holds it over a corresponding pitching position 41 at the rear periphery 39 of the laying surface 13. He then releases the ball and magnet from his hand. The ball will tend to swing back toward home plate where the top end of the line '71 is afiixed to the arm 57. In other words, the ball is being pitched from one of the positions 41 back toward home plate as a pitcher would normally pitch a ball. The ball will then swing outwardly from home plate in the direction of a ball hit by a batter. While the ball is so passing outwardly over the field (or returning), the batter strikes the exposed portion 21 of the actuator, causing the ball to drop from the magnet into one of the receptacles 35 on the playing surface. The most difficult to achieve is the home run, since the player must strike the actuator so as to release the ball when it has swung to its extreme position from home plate. If the ball does not fall into any receptacle, then it may be recorded as an out. Additionally, the playing board is pro vided with foul lines 39. If the ball falls between the foul lines 89 and the outer retaining wall 33, it is a foul ball and the player gets another chance. Pegs 31 are placed at and moved around the bases as runners. Pitching and batting continue in this manner. The game is scored as a normal game of baseball, with the outs being recorded in the receptacles 17 and runs on the score keeping lines 19, and the players exchanging roles as pitcher and batter after each three outs.

As noted above, the playing surfaces may take various forms and shapes as may the receptacles. Alternate structure may be provided for supporting the line above the playing surface to permit it to swing over the surface. While the quick upward movement is particularly effective to release the ball, other forms of disengagement might operate effectively.

Further, the ball could comprise or include the magnet and the playing element could take various forms and configurations other than a sphere. Additionally, instead of a flexible line 71, a rigid rod can be used provided it is pivotally connected to area 57 so that it could be freely suspended and thus rotate relative thereto.

We claim:

1. A game device comprising:

a target means,

suspension means for suspending a playing element above said target so that the element can be swung over a portion of said target, said suspension means including a rod means extending vertically upwardly to an upper end, a freely suspended member depending downwardly from said upper end of said rod means for free swing movement,

a permanent magnet for engagement with said playing element attached to a portion of said freely suspended member below said upper end,

and actuator means operable to selectively cause said suspension means to disengage from said playing element to permit the element to fall into said target,

said actuator means comprising a means for rapidly moving said suspension rod upwardly.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

said actuator comprises a pivotally inserted lever arm having one end thereof adjacent a bottom end of said rod means whereby depression of the other end of said lever causes said rod means to move upward.

3. A method of playing a game comprising:

providing a target,

freely suspending a playing element above said target from a suspension means connected to the upper end of a rod means by magnetically aflixing said playing element to said suspension means,

causing said element to freely swing over said target,

and selectively releasing said element from the suspension means to fall onto the target by rapidly vertically moving said rod means to cause separation of said playing element therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,027,683 4/ 1962 Shapiro 46-242 2,616,697 11/1952 Brasington 273-98 1,695,624 12/1928 Welpley 273-1 M RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner M. SISKIND, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

